A typical gravity deck machine utilizes plows to disperse sludge that is transported by the gravity deck machine. The plows disperse the sludge by forcing the sludge to go around them. The plows create essentially a pocket behind them relative to the direction of movement of the sludge which allows fluid in the sludge to flow into the pocket and consequently through the porous belt that carries the sludge. Since the plows are disposed directly in the sludge, they not only receive wear and tear but sometimes facilitate clogs in the sludge flow that can back up the movement of the sludge by the belt.
A common practice in the industry in regard to handling the plows is for the manual manipulation of the plows by workmen by lifting the cross member to which the plows are held in place over the belt. This removes the plows from the sludge flow, thus removing the blockage that might be causing the clog. Furthermore, each plow is typically bolted or fixedly attached to the cross member, requiring the entire cross member to be lifted out of the gravity back machine to repair or replace the plow.
The present invention allows for the movement of all plows in a gravity deck machine simultaneously, and for the individual replacement of a given plow without the need to remove the cross member to which the plow is attached.